Month 26 – February

My hands are still the most heavily affected part of my body but with the balm that I made, it’s become a lot more manageable. I need to reapply several times a day (and night) but there is no more oozing on my hands and the cracks on my hands don’t bother me nearly as much. Still dealing with edema in my hands and neck, which is annoying and uncomfortable, but when I compare it to last year at this time, I’m miles ahead.

My face has also cleared up considerably. There’s no more oozing. At all. Which is HUGE. That has been the most annoying thing while going through this and the biggest contributing factor to me being a social recluse. I attribute this to using jojoba oil daily. Apparently it has a similar chemical profile to that of the natural skin micro-biome.

I’ve been on the ketogenic diet since the new year as well and I think that has had a profound effect. It’s a very satisfying diet and in a way, it’s a much easier diet to follow once you know what to avoid. I’ve been able to enjoy coffee again too! I make them bulletproof, which means I add a tablespoon of butter and coconut oil with some whipping cream. The high fat content satiates me from the time I wake up until lunch. It probably doesn’t help the edema but with all the other vices I’ve eliminated over the past 2 years I’m going to allow myself this small comfort.